Armored Fleet DaiRugger XV
was an anime series aired in Japan and Hong Kong from 1982 to 1983. It is also referred to as "''Dairugger 15," "Dairugger XV," "Armored Fleet Dairugger XV," "Armored Armada Dairugger XV," "Armored Squadron Dairugger XV," or "Machine Platoon Dairugger." In the United States, it was changed considerably, and became part of the Voltron series, under the name "Vehicle Voltron." Original Story In the original storyline as aired in Japan, Dairugger XV was simply an exploration robot, as well as an intended peace-keeping force. The Earth is in a time of prosperity. The president of the Terran League (the "Galaxy Alliance" in Voltron) launches a mission to explore beyond the galaxy. After commencing its mission of exploration, the starship Rugger-Guard is attacked by a ship of the Galbeston Empire. Dairugger, the super robot, is deployed in order to defend the Earth. It is somewhat by fate that they must help the people of Galbeston find a new planet before it explodes, and liberate it from its despotic Emperor. In the Japanese version, it does not have anything to do with King of the Beasts GoLion, as opposed to the U.S. version, Voltron: Defender of the Universe. Concept There are three assault team units: Land, Air, and Sea. There are a total of 15 parts referred to as "Rugger," which can combine together to form the super-robot Dairugger. The design of the 15 separate Rugger units came from the sport of rugby, since 15 players are required to form a rugby union. Clements, Jonatha. McCarthy Helen. 2006 (2006). The Animé Encyclopedia: Revised & Expanded Edition. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-933330-10-5 The U.S. version would rename the "Galbeston Empire" to "Drule Empire," along with editing a fair amount of violence and sexual content to keep the show safe for general audience broadcast. At the time of Dairugger XV's screenwriting and original design, there was no intended plan to merge it with what eventually became Voltron. In fact, World Events Productions' original plan was to buy the rights to two other Japanese series — Lightspeed ElectroGod Albegas as "Voltron II," and the older 1979 Future Robo Daltanius as "Voltron III." The plan never materialized, and Dairugger was the only show left to be adapted into the Voltron universe. Staff *Planning: Susumu Yoshikawa, Yasuo Nobe, Yu Saito *Original concept: Saburo Yatsude *Chief Director: Kozo Morishita *Series Composition/Script: Keisuke Fujikawa *Character Design: Shigetaka Aoyama *Music: Seiji Yokoyama *Production: Toei, Toei Agency Characters Dairugger Characters Air Team uniforms were dark blue and white. Sea Team uniforms were navy blue and aqua. Land Team uniforms were white and red. {|class="wikitable" ! Function ! Japanese Name ! Seiyū ! English Name ! Team ! Vehicle ! Dairugger Body |- |Rugger #1 Pilot|| Manabu Aki || Toshio Furukawa || Jeff Dukane || Air Team || Command Jet Explorer || head |- |Rugger #2 Pilot|| Shinobu Kai || Ryōma Yamamoto || Rocky || Air Team || Strato Weapons Module || upper torso |- |Rugger #3 Pilot|| Shota Kreuz || Kōzō Shioya || Wolo || Air Team || Advanced Recon Helicopter || right upper arm |- |Rugger #4 Pilot|| Yasuo Mutsu || Satomi Majima || Chip Stoker || Air Team || Advanced Recon Helicopter || left upper arm |- |Rugger #5 Pilot|| Patty Ellington || Keiko Han || Ginger || Air Team || Falcon VT Fighter || chest plate |- |Rugger #6 Pilot|| Miranda Keets || Hideyuki Hori || Cric || Sea Team || Communications Module || hips |- |Rugger #7 Pilot|| Haruka Kaga || Harumi Iizuka || Lisa || Sea Team || Space Prober || right thigh |- |Rugger #8 Pilot|| Saruta Katz || Masaharu Satō || Tagor || Sea Team || Space Prober || left thigh |- |Rugger #9 Pilot|| Tatsuo Izumo || Shō Hayami || Shannon || Sea Team || Multi-Wheeled Explorer || right lower leg |- |Rugger #10 Pilot|| Baros Karateya || Ken Yamaguchi || Zandee || Sea Team || Multi-Wheeled Explorer || left lower leg |- |Rugger #11 Pilot|| Walter Jack || Katsuji Mori || Cliff || Land Team || Jet Radar Station || torso mid-rif |- |Rugger #12 Pilot|| Moya Kirigas || Nana Yamaguchi || Cinda || Land Team || Rotating Personnel Carrier || right forearm |- |Rugger #13 Pilot|| Mack Chakker || Banjō Ginga || Modoch || Land Team || Armored Equipment Carrier || left forearm |- |Rugger #14 Pilot|| Tasuku Izu || Shingo Hiromori || Marvin || Land Team || All-Terrain Space Vehicle || right foot |- |Rugger #15 Pilot|| Kazuto Nagato || Hiroshi Ōtake || Hutch || Land Team || All-Terrain Space Vehicle || left foot |- Other Characters {|class="wikitable" ! Japanese Name ! Seiyu ! English Name ! Voices by |- |Jinji Ise || Hideyuki Tanaka || Commander James Hawkins ||Peter Cullen |- |High Commander Wasaka || || Space Marshal Graham || |- | || || Commander Steele || |- |Dick Asimov || Kōji Yada || Captain Newley || |- |Doctor Fatch || || Professor Page || |- |Telesu || Kōji Totani || Enemy Commander Hazar || |- |Dorick || || Enemy Officer Mongo || |- |Internal Commissioner Sokuratto Tes || || Chancellor Mozak || |- |Saku || || Dorma || |- |Brak || || Bakki || |- |Rocket || || Captain Nerok || |- | || || Marshal Keezor || |- |Commander Caponello Soushin || || Viceroy Throk || |- |Emperor Conseillu || || Emperor Zeppo || |- Dairugger Specifications Dairugger is made up of 15 vehicle parts. Dairugger is 60 meters tall. *Weapons **Laser Sword **Spinning Laser Blades **Electromagnetic Whip **Electromagnetic Beam **Laser Blasts **Laser Lance **Electromagnetic Cross Merchandise In the early 1980s, the original ST Dairugger toys were released by Popy Pleasure under the toy release number of GB-72, as part of the Chogokin label, and constructed of high-quality die-cast materials. A GB-73 would follow, with a transforming DX Dairugger, which could separate only into the three larger combined vehicles. A larger version of Dairugger XV was also released, which did not contain die-cast materials, as the metal content was too heavy for the design and for the Friction motors installed in many of the vehicles. The smallest non-transforming ST Dairugger and the fully-transforming plastic Dairugger XV would be resold in the US as part of the Voltron series by Matchbox, entirely under the Voltron name. However, the Popy version came with a sword, missiles, and stickers that the Matchbox version did not. Due to the fact that Dairugger had 15 pieces, and was a highly playable figure compared to many of the other fixed-state super robots of the early '80s, there were countless imitations and bootlegs of Dairugger. Some are cheap plastics, some do not assemble well, some have neon-glowing colors that are completely misaligned with the show. Even approved brands such as "Big Bear" were spawned to rejuvenate the toyline.BigBear Dairugger. "BigBear Info." Dairugger Toy Re-release. Retrieved on 2006-11-06. No version, however, is identical in quality, packaging, and comes with all the pieces like the Japanese original. Comics In the recent comic by Image Comics and Devil's Due Publishing, this particular Voltron came about through the capture and study of the original Lion Voltron. Thus, while machines cannot truly be cloned, this Voltron could be considered an imperfect clone of the first Arusian Voltron. The machine was referred to in one issue as V-15, and was actually attacked by the Lion Voltron in order to repair itself. Unlike in the animated series, which only had two crossovers with the Lion Force (once at the end of the Lion Force run, and the other in the "Fleet of Doom" special, which brought both Voltrons together), and in which the two Voltron Forces were longstanding friends, the comics depicted Keith and Jeff having an antagonistic relationship with one another, particularly in regards to Lion Voltron's supposed "sneak attack" on the Vehicle Voltron. The "Galaxy Alliance" part of the Voltron storyline comes from this show. In GoLion (the first part of Voltron), there never was any "Galaxy Alliance" — the Earth had been destroyed during World War III, in the year 1999 A.D. Screenshots Image:DairuggerAir.jpg|Air Team Image:DairuggerAqua.jpg|Aqua Team Image:DairuggerLand.jpg|Land Team Image:Voltronveh.jpg|Dairugger Differences with the Japanese and American Versions In the re-released U.S. version, the plotline was adapted to the Voltron universe. After the successful expedition to Planet Arus in the Far Universe during the early episodes of the [[Voltron|Lion Force (a.k.a., "Voltron III")]] series, Voltron technology was brought back to Earth in order to aid the Galaxy Alliance in its ongoing war with the Drule Empire. The Alliance's home planets have become vastly overcrowded, and a fleet of explorers have been sent to search out new planets to colonize in the Near Universe. Along the way, they attract the attention of the evil Drules, who proceed to interfere with the explorers and the colonists, eventually carrying the war all the way back to Earth itself. Since the Voltron of Planet Arus is too far away to help the new explorer force, a totally new Voltron is constructed to battle the Drule threat. * Dairugger XV and GoLion are not related shows, in contrast to the U.S. version. The Galaxy Alliance only exists in Dairugger XV in the Japanese, since Earth in GoLion is destroyed in a thermonuclear war. * The Drule Empire in the Japanese version is not connected to the Planet Doom from the American Voltron adaptation. * Many of the allied and enemy force members did indeed die in the original Dairugger, as opposed to disappearing without any explanation in the U.S. Voltron series. The finale of Dairugger XV was different in its Voltron form — the U.S. footage had no depiction of Emperor Zeppo's true fate, which left a lot of questions for U.S. viewers (although one shot of Zeppo dead on the throne remained intact). The scene of Emperor Zeppo's death was cut out due to violence, perishing in an assassination attempt by Hazar and the Drules, who want freedom for their people. His death was similar to the bloody nature of Emperor Zanbazir's in Voltes V. * In the Japanese version, Hazar dies a martyr, and there is a sad scene where Hazar's body is left to die on Drule at his request. Hazar doesn't become the new leader of the new Drule people after all, but rather, his sister Dorma; the series ending where the Drules are finally at peace. This is highly referential to the ending in Daimos, where Erika, not Richter, becomes the new leader. The flames that engulf him are similar to Prince Hainel's redeemed death in Voltes V. * Pidge and Chip are not brothers, in contrast to the U.S. version. * Aki (Jeff) and Haruka (Lisa) have a serious relationship in the show. The same lucky charm that Lisa gave to Jeff dies with Hazar. Trivia * Dairugger is 60 meters tall, and weighs 150 tons. * Dairugger may have been proposed to be named "Voltes XV," but it sounded too redundant. References External links * [http://dairuggerxv.animation-web.com/cutpics.htm Dairugger XV Uncut Scenes and Comparison] Category:Anime series Category:Super Robots Category:Mecha anime and manga Category:Anime of the 1980s Category:Japanese television series ja:機甲艦隊ダイラガーXV